Speaking device



" June 5,'1928. D. F. YoUNGBLooD SEAKING DEVICE Filed July 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 TTTTTTT YS June 5, 1928.

D. F. YOUNGBLOOD SPEAKING DEVICE Patented June 5, 1928.

i UNI-TEU -STfArEsffPATENT oiFlcE.

DAVID'IFRANKINYUNGBLDgo ANd-01:10,- Trixieas.-l

SPEAKING mancia.E

Applicationnled' .'luly.y .18,"W 1927. Serialj Ko-206,658.

This invention relates to /speakingpanels,l and aims, amongfotlier objects,r to provide an improved Idevice, to permitfcommunieation.

bet-Ween visitors and inmates of jails, prisons,

asylu'ms etc. and, at the same. time5, prevents the :passing-of artlclessuch as; armsi tools, narcotics, poison, liquOry -Written-lmessages',

etc. through the speaking opening;

In the drawings: v Fig. 1 vis alfragmentaryfront elevation of a speakingl panel embodying the improve-v ment'; n l Figs. k Qand 3 are `sectional views on.- the lines 2*2y and 3 3, vrespectively,jof Fig.V 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectionalviewfon theline 4 4;

ofFigrSg'l F ig-- 5 is a 'fragmentary seetional-view on the line-yofFigrlj Y Fig. e is a. Sideelevaion of rigs looking...

\ from' the right handside;l and a Fig. 7k is a sectional viewy showingaaf slightly modified form` ofspeaking.zpanel.y Referring f ,particularly to' Ythe -g-dra\ving's,- the speakingfpanel is shown as being :con-- nected to a metal'lpart-ition AWall-101and iis arranged adj acentto -arv Window 11y so that vvisitors may see thefinmatesvvhilethey are',k

conversing, the frame being InadefofV metal.

Referring to Figs. 1 and Sthe -speakingl`i device is arranged'below *the-Window rand, in this-example, comprises a-series-of cups and tubes vcooperating fwith-i an opening 1n thevwall 10 to permit thek sound of the voice to travel therethrough in aftortuous course andpositively preventfthe passage.y of an article vthrough the'opening.V

On one side of the partition is'shownja cup f 12 which, obviously, may bef'of'any desired-- ycross section. This cup has asmallspeaking opening l13 preferably 'arranged centrally of y its closedl end and is adapted `to be secured tothe partition by means of; integral flanges- 14 hai/ing provision l'for/novel securingineans J-f later to be described.

lVithin the lcup y12 there 'is shown a centrali partition or deflector y15 also inthe form oi'.` a cup.I Herein,the linner rcupf is shown asbeing secured to lugs16 With-intheouter fcu'p.'

conveniently by Welding.r or. 1 other' suitable means.' f

lVithin ythe deflector cup 157 a tube section" 17 is; secured. also conveniently by, lugs similar to those. just described ThisL tubey is shown as projecting into but not through anopeningfin the partition and eomniunicatll ingxvith.` the -interior of the' deflect'o'r cup,

13 bythe end .Wall of the cup.l

In Figs. 2 and 3 thereis shown a 'comple mentary cupv panel 18 Von'thel opposite-'side of thelpartition.. In this instance the cup is of vless depth than. the cup 12 but has flanges like the flanges 141.5 Also "this'cup'is lbeing separatedr from vthe speakingkopening shown. as having afcentral Vspeaking opening f -In some instances, however7 only fonecup andy deector will be sufficient.'-

To 5 secure the panels against' unauthorized removal,l the flanges `are shownas having integral bosses 21 adapted 'to' receive bolts 22,' one `of Which is shown`4 in Fig. 5 as havinga bymeans ofan integralY lugQB. The opposite lug lis counterbored to receive a nut 2l having peculiarly arranged -notches25 to receivea key Wrench supplied to the Warden or otherfkeeper. In Fig. 6 the nutl -is shown asbeingsub-4 stantially circular in cross section and having a plurality. of 'peripheral notchesy and is seatedfin the. bottom of a cylindrical counterborein the--boss 2l. Thus, it Will ybe seen` thatthe head ends of the bolts are smooth-l so thattheycannot'be turnedvvi'th a screwdriver or othentoolfandthe nuts are' not easily vremoved with yordinary tools accessiblev tore-the public generally. Moreover', iffthe' fnuts are placed on the inside of cells, it will be impossible fory a visitor toffurnish an inmate with anykind ofV tool for the purpose ofl removing the nuts.

[so -headwheldagalnst rotation in a lcounter lsink From` the foregoing description, it will be clear that the. speaking device is eminently adapted for use in preventing passage of articles from a visitor to a prisoner or inmate and the arrangement of deflectors will also tend to prevent the spread of disease from` j prisoners or inmates to visitors through the speaking opening. Further, the improved cup-shaped panels may easily be removed from the,` partition Walls for the purpose of cleaning out any articles which have been lodged in them by either visitors or inmates and then be replaced Without.

considerable loss of time. This arrangement affords a means whereby a Warden or keeper may determine Whether or V'not there has been any attempt' to pass articles through a speaking device and Will serve as a Warningl to keep close Watch over such prisoners or inmates. Moreover, the improved cup panels may be manufactured veryy econom-Y ically and Y applied 'to' existing partition Walls in jails, prisons, asylums and theflike Without necessitating material alteration.

Obviously the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment vthereof herein shown and described. 1 Moreover, it visV not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly,

since theymay be employed advantageously shaped panel members, each having a speak-V ing openingtherein and secured to the opposite sides of a partition Wall; one of said cup-shaped panel members having a sub.

stantially cup-shaped deiiector secured therein and arranged to cause the sound transmitted therethrough to take a serpentine course and prevent passage of articles from one side of the partition to the other through the speaking opening.

3. A speaking device of the character describedfcomprising, in combination, a panel adapted to be secured to a partition wall;

a cup-shaped portion integral with said panel and having a speaking opening therein; a deflector Within said cup-shaped portion and a speaking'tube leading from the opposite 4side of the partition Walls Within said cup-shaped portion. Y

4. A speaking device of the character described comprising, in combination,.a panel having provision to be secured to a partition a partition wall.

Wall; a cup-shaped mouthpiece integral With the panel; a cup-shaped deflector Within the mouthpiece and arranged opposite from the speaking opening; and a tube Within the cup-shaped deliector arranged to project into an opening in the partition Wall.

, 5. A speaking device of the character de-l scribed comprising, in combination, a cupshaped niouthpiece having integral flanges ladapted tokbe secured to a partition Wall; said mouthpiece presenting a substantially.

centrally arranged speaking opening; a cupshaped deflector secured Within the mouthpiece and presenting a Wall opposite from the speaking opening; and a speaking tube secured VWithin the cup-shaped Sdeflector adapted to cause the sound to travel through the lmouthpiece in a tortuouspath.

6. In a speaking device of the character v described; a cup-shaped mouthpiece having a speaking opening therein; a deilector Within the cup-shaped mouthpiece and means to.y

secure the mouthpiece againstone side of 7. A speaking device of the character described comprising, in combination, a hollow mouthpiece having a speaking opening therein; a deflector Within the mouthpiece Y j and spaced from the .speaking ,opening arranged to cause sound to travel in a tortuous path therethrough; and means to secure the mouthpiece Ato one side of 'a partition Wall.

8. A speaking device ofthe character de` scribed comprising means for transmitting sound through a partition Wall4 and Vmeans to prevent passage of articles therethrough;

flanges for securing said device to a partii tionv Wall;said flanges having bosses thereonand bolts for securing said flanges to the Wall through the bosses; Isaid bolts having nuts housed Within counterbores to prevent access toy them by a prisoner.

9. A speaking Vdevice of the class described having langes adapted to be secured against oneside of a partition Wall; said flanges lpresenting counterbored bosses and securing means for said flanges associated with said counterbored bosses and inac-.f

cessible to an inmate or visitor. Y

10. A speaking device of the character described` comprising, in combination, oppositely arranged cups secured to opposite sides of a partition Wall; flanges on said cups having integral bosses thereon; the bosses on one side of the partition present- 12() ing counterbores to receive a frusto-conical head, the bosses on the other side of the partition Wall presenting substantially cylindrical counterbores to receive nuts; `bolts for the frusto-conical heads inserted through said bosses and substantiallyk cylindrical ends seated Within cylindrical counterbores and having notches arranged tovreceive a special Wrench to permit their removal by unauthorized persons but being so arranged that they are inaccessible to inmates or rect communication between an inmate and visitors. a visitor; and means to permit removal of ll. A speaking device of the character desaid panels for cleanout purposes. 10 scribed comprising a pair of substantially vIn testimony, that I claim the foregoing 5 duplicate cup-shaped panels secured against as my own, I have hereto affixed my sigopposite sides of a partition Wall; deiectors nature. Within said cup-shaped panels to prevent di- DAVID FRANKLIN Y0UNGBL00D- 

